I received a notification letter from the Office of Student Conduct; what does this mean?

The Office of Student Conduct receives incident reports regarding alleged student misconduct from all areas of the campus community to include staff, faculty, campus police, and students. When a student is named in an incident report and there is sufficient information that a violation of the Student Code of Conduct may have occurred, disciplinary charges are brought against that student. Students are notified in writing, through a letter sent to the email address provided on their student profile, in the Viking Student System. The letter indicates the alleged disciplinary charges and the designated date by which the student must meet with a Hearing Officer.

Please keep in mind that no decisions have been made yet about a student’s responsibility, and there is a process in place that will allow the student an opportunity to be heard. The Student Conduct Process is designed as an educational experience that guides students to reflect on their choices and reminds them of their rights and responsibilities as members of their community.

Can I just talk to the Hearing Officer over the phone to give my side of the story?

In an effort to ensure privacy, Hearing Officers cannot discuss individual conduct cases over the phone and must meet with students through an in-person meeting or through video conference. Our office can address any general information questions over the phone and assist students with scheduling their meetings with the Hearing Officer.

How can I prepare for my meeting with the Hearing Officer?

Take time to think through and write out your account of the incident with specific information such as dates, times, places, names, and any other relevant information. Be prepared to respond whether you believe you are responsible or not responsible for each charge.

We encourage students to ask questions and to be informed of their rights and due process. Please refer to the Standards of Student Conduct (see AP 5500) to become familiar with the student conduct process prior to meeting with our office.

What happens in a meeting with the Hearing Officer?

You will have a one-on-one meeting with a Hearing Officer. The Hearing Officer will explain the disciplinary charges brought against you and present all relevant information and/or evidence that will be considered in the case. You will be given an opportunity to share your account of the incident, provide supporting documentation and/or contact information for witnesses. We encourage students to be honest and forthcoming as this is taken into consideration in the decision-making process. In some cases, the Hearing Officer may render a decision during the meeting and advise you whether you are found responsible or not responsible for violating the Student Code of Conduct. The Hearing Officer may also impose a sanction. In cases that involve multiple parties or witnesses, the Hearing Officer will meet with those individuals prior to rendering a decision. 

Can I bring anyone with me to the meeting?

Yes, you may bring any support person that you would like. Your support person may wait for you in our lobby or attend the meeting with you. If you bring your support person into the meeting with you, then you must sign a waiver that authorizes us to discuss confidential information. This person may ask general information questions regarding the conduct process, help you organize your documents, or take notes, but may not speak on your behalf or interfere with the conduct process in any way. Any person who is a witness or involved in the incident should not attend this meeting, but you may provide their contact information to the Hearing Officer.

What happens after my meeting with the Hearing Officer?

In cases that involve multiple parties or witnesses, the Hearing Officer will meet with relevant individuals to gather a full account of the incident before rendering a decision. The Hearing Officer will notify you in writing (via email) about the decision rendered regarding your level of responsibility. 

If you are found not responsible for violating the Student Code of Conduct, the case will be dismissed. If you are found responsible for violating the Student Code of Conduct, the Hearing Officer may impose disciplinary sanction(s).

What type of disciplinary sanctions can be imposed if found responsible?

Sanctions are designed to be educational and depend on the nature of the violation. Sanctions can include:

• Warning. Notice to the student that continuation or repetition of specified conduct may be cause for other disciplinary action. 
• Reprimand. Notice to the student in writing that officially recognizes a violation of the Student Code of Conduct or campus rules. The reprimand admonishes the student to avoid future infractions in order to avoid additional formal action. 
• Probation. An official disciplinary action that returns the offender to the college community on a promise of appropriate future behavior. Any violation of this promise mandates formal action. 
• Social Suspension. Social suspension limits a student’s attendance on campus to scheduled classroom hours. Other privileges can be set forth in the Notice of Social Suspension for a specified period of time. The imposition of social suspension involves notification in writing of the reason for a social suspension to the student(s) or president of the student organization involved. 
• Disciplinary Suspension. The disciplinary suspension follows an investigation and determination of responsibility based on due process procedures (see AP 5520). It shall be utilized by the Superintendent- President, appropriate administrator, or other staff members designated by the Superintendent-President, upon Students for violations of the Student Code of Conduct when other corrective measures have failed or the seriousness of the situation warrants such action.
• Expulsion. An expulsion is a long-term or permanent denial of all campus privileges including class attendance. The Board of Trustees may expel the Student after a hearing by the Dean of Student Affairs or Vice President for Student Services or upon recommendation of the Superintendent-President. Permanent expulsion and active prosecution shall automatically result for any student found to be in possession of a firearm.
• Restitution. Reimbursement for damage or for misappropriation of property. Reimbursement may take the form of appropriate service to repair or otherwise compensate for damage.

Can I appeal a disciplinary sanction imposed by the Hearing Officer?

Within 5 days after receipt of the Superintendent-President or designee’s decision regarding a long-term suspension or expulsion, the student may request a formal hearing. The request must be made in writing to the Superintendent-President or designee. The formal hearing shall be held within 10 days after a formal request for a hearing is received.

Decisions regarding all other disciplinary sanctions (warning, reprimand, probation, and restitution) are considered final and not subject to appeal since they do not impede a student’s educational experience. 

What if I did not receive the letter I was sent?

All students are expected to keep their email addresses up to date in their student profiles on the Viking Student System. Correspondence from our office will be sent to the email address provided in the student profile.

What happens if I choose not to schedule a meeting with the Hearing Officer?

If you fail to meet with our office by the meeting deadline date or fail to appear for a scheduled meeting date, an administrative hold will be placed on your student records prohibiting you from performing any registration transactions or using campus facilities. In addition, our office may conduct a review of your case in your absence and render a decision without your input.

Why is there an administrative hold on my student record?

An administrative hold may be placed on your record for failing to meet with a Hearing Officer by the meeting deadline date. A hold may also be placed if you failed to comply with the terms of an assigned sanction. The hold will only be lifted after you have either met with a Hearing Officer or after you have satisfactorily completed the sanction(s).

Will my parents be notified of the conduct case?

The conduct investigation is between the student and the Office of Student Conduct. Your disciplinary records are confidential and protected under FERPA laws. If a parent calls our office to inquire about a disciplinary matter, we will refer the parent back to the student for clarification. If you wish to include your parent(s) in the disciplinary meetings and process, you must sign a waiver.

If you are a minor student (under the age of 18) and are involved in a student conduct investigation, we are obligated to contact your parent(s). In addition, a parent must be present with the minor at any meeting held regarding the investigation.

Do I need to call an attorney?

Our student disciplinary process exists to set a standard for behavior on our campus. The student conduct process is an educational process, not a legal process. It is not meant to replace or substitute for the Federal or State legal system or other legal avenues. However, the student disciplinary process provides an important forum to respond to the interests of the LBCC community. It is here for two purposes: to help create a safe environment where academic life can flourish and to promote the development of students. 

If you choose to call an attorney, the attorney can serve as a support person, but may not speak on behalf of the student or interfere with the conduct process in any way.

Will this conduct incident appear on my transcript or academic record?

When a student has been found responsible for violating the Student Code of Conduct, a disciplinary record (separate from the student’s academic record) will be created and maintained in a confidential file in the Office of Student Conduct. If a student is suspended or expelled from the College, the file is kept permanently. A permanent notation will be made on the student’s academic record if he or she is expelled from the College or suspended for longer than one academic year.